The Canadian Media Guild has called an end to its 22-month strike by 7 unionized radio employees at MBS Radio in Saint John, New Brunswick, effective Monday May 12.

The employer MBS has however now informed the Guild that it will be locking out the employees and not letting them return to work without a collective agreement.

The Guild has filed a complaint with the Canada Industrial Relations Board, alleging that MBS has been bargaining in bad faith and is trying to break the union. A hearing on the Guild’s complaint has been scheduled to begin on June 3. The Guild is asking the CIRB to order MBS to bargain as required by law and to go to binding arbitration if necessary.

Meanwhile, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has scheduled a meeting with both sides on Friday May 16 to try to bring about a settlement.

“Our goal remains what it has been since the start: a fair and reasonable collective agreement. That is what we will be seeking on May 16,” said Gary Stackhouse, one of the seven strikers and president of the Private Radio branch of the Guild.